Todd is God

There's a wonderful song on the new Hold Steady album called ' We Can Get Together', which at it's heart is about how powerful music can in our lives, although is also about Mathew Fletcher, the drummer in Oxford band Heavenly, who committed suicide in 1996. In the Guardian last week the band's singer, Craig Finn explained the story behind the song. If you love music this is a must read as it really puts into words what I have always felt about music and the power of music and songs. "It's a song about how fans use songs to communicate with each other. It's about the way a couple, or prospective couple, can build their own little world sitting in front of a turntable, playing their favorite songs for each other. It's about how sometimes the songs we love can often say things so much better that we can. It's about how we can make these songs our own, injecting our own feelings and meanings into words and music played by someone we don't know...

Ed Vigdor, Todd Rundgren’s videographer during the 1988-89 Nearly Human recording sessions, recently posted a rare video edit from the recording of the song “Fidelity”.

Pete and My latest podcast now up. Albums under discussion this month are: Hole - Nobody's Daughter Scouting for Girls - Every Body Wants to be on TV The Hold Steady - Heaven is Whenever Paul Weller - Wake up the Nation MGMT - Celebrations Kate Nash - My Best Friend is You We also have music from Paul Micklethwaite in our Undiscovered/Uncovered slot.

New book due out later this year by Paul Myers, looking at Todd the Producer. Includes exclusive new interviews with Robbie Robertson, Patti Smith, XTC, Sparks, Daryl Hall and John Oates, Meat Loaf, Jim Steinman, Cheap Trick, Grand Funk, The Psychedelic Furs, The Tubes, Steve Hillage, all members of Rundgren's legendary band, Utopia, and many other key Rundgren associates.

I was saddened to read yesterday of the death of Ronnie James Dio, after losing his battle with Cancer. He was a little man – with a big enough sense of humour to call an early band, Elf – with a big and powerful voice. I remember seeing Dio on The Last in Line tour back in 1984. Glasgow Apollo it was – 23rd September. If I remember correctly it also featured Queensryche – with high pitched singer Geoff Tate decked out in white leather – as support, plugging their debut album (they were awful and Geoff picked up the Geoff TiT nick-name among my friends that I still find hard to not revert to – They did eventually make the album Operation Mindcrime, which is really rather good). I remember it being a good gig – probably improved no end in fact by us having to stand through Mr Tate and Co beforehand. The little guy could certainly sing. Rainbow was where he really cut his mustard. He managed to put up with Richie Blackmore for 5 years – no mean feat as anyone who worked with Dame Richie ...

So, I noticed that Todd is out on the road and doing a double bill of Todd/Healing albums for 6 date US tour. That sounds like an interesting mix. The New Hold Steady album ' Heaven is Whenever' is out next week. UK peeps can stream it at The Guardian's website. First impressions is that the progession missing from last album has returned. Seeing them again in June. Will be interesting without Franz Nicolay What I'm listening to: Drive by Truckers - Big To Do; Dan le sac Vs Scroobius Pip -Logic of Chance; Paul Weller - Wake Up the Nation; Diane Birch - Bible Belt; Juliana Hatfield _ Peace and Love.

The latest podcast from my mate Pete and I takes a look at AWATS and AWATS live. AS expected I hog the mike on this one.

Uncharacteristically I realised the other day that I had not posted my albums of the year for 2009. Not a bad year 2009 in the end with a number of interesting releases. It also proved hard to pick an overall favourite, so I'm going to jointly award it to The Decemberists, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and Reginia Spektor. Anyway in no particular order the best 25 albums of 2009 were: 1. The Decemberists – The Hazzards of Love . Never really been convinced by this band until now, but this concept album is a delight. 2. Yeah Yeah Yeahs – It's Blitz . A band that manage to retain a 'sound' whilst playing around with that sound and the injections of 70s/80s synth (which did seem to be compulsory this year, especially in the UK) suited this album perfectly. 3. The Duckworth Lewis Method - The Duckworth Lewis Method . Neil Hannon and Thomas Walsh, of Divine Comedy and Pugwash respectively - deliver a ‘Cricket’ concept album. Madness, but a joy. Fun lyrics combined with the myriad ...

When I first heard that Todd was going to perform his A Wizard A True Star album live, I was both excited and a bit worried. Whilst it is one of my favourite Todd albums, it is also one that was very much about 'The Studio' and not really about 'Live'. I was therefore concerned that certainly chunks of what we - in the olden days - would call side one, might not really work live. Despite these thoughts there was a high level of anticipation as I took my seat at the Hammersmith Apollo. As an appetiser we also had Todd providing the support in the form of a preview of his soon to be released Todd Rundgren's Johnson – a selection of Robert Johnson covers. Todd versions – whilst enjoyable - didn't really break any new ground musically, but it did provide an opportunity for the man to flex his guitar-hero muscles. When this finished we had around 45 minutes to wait until the lights went out again and the opening bars of Feel International blasted out, as the curtain...

I think I have mentioned this before, but I will be blogging more about music - and podcasting - with a friend of mine at our new site Come taste the Band . We've only just started, so not very good yet, but we hope to get better in the next couple of attempts.

BBC radio 6Music broadcast another fine ed of The Record Producers, with Richard Allinson and Steve Levine. This edition profiled the work of Todd Rundgren (if you're in the UK you can listen via iPlayer for limited time here ) This was a wonderful 90 minutes, including interviews with Sparks, Tom Robinson, Andy Partridge, and or course Todd himself, as well as a very close look at how the track Bat out of Hell was put together for Meatloaf. Loved Sparks saying that whether you liked Sparks or didn't like Sparks, the man to blame for their existence is Todd, and Andy Partridge of XTC on why, despite the horror of recording Skylarking with Todd - "one bunker with two Hitlers" - he still thought he should be considered in the top echelon of producers: "not a very good engineer; his people skill are that of a Darlek, but as an arranger he's pretty god-like" If you fancy listening to a selection of Todd tunes and have a Spotify account here is a random play...

A Dream Goes On Forever: The Continuing Story of Todd Rundgren Vol. 2 is now out. Ordering info: http://goldtrespub.gemm.com/q.cgi?for_seller=goldtrespub&wild=Billy+James&image.x=8&image.y=10 FMQB Review

Yes, it's back. Part 3 (parts 1 and 2 ) of my list of 99 albums you should own by female artists/fronted bands. 21.Shelby Lynne – I am Shelby Lynne . Seriously, how GOOD is this record? I remember first hearing it and being totally bowled over by her voice and the range of songs on it. Your Lies , Easier, Black Light Blue, Leavin, Why Can't You Be ... Not a dud on the whole record. Would feature in a list of the best 25 albums ever made for me. A true classic. 22. Veruca Salt – American Thighs . Back in the days when Nina Gordon and Louise Post were still on speaking terms. A nice nod to AC/DC in the album title, and this was indeed a straight ahead rock album. I listened to this again recently and was amazed how well it stands up. Get Back, All Hail Me, Number one Blind, Victrola, and the marvellous Seether all mean this album rocks. 23. Nina Gordon - Tonight and the Rest of My Life , Somehow seemed right to follow up VS with one of Nina's solo albums. More pop/ro...

What was very apparent, very quickly, when I say down to make this list was how much of a 'ladies' year this has been. My favourite single of the year? Probably either Pearl Jam, Taylor Swift or Yeah Yeah Yeahs. But what follows in no particular order are my Top 20 (or at least as I remember them – no doubt, as per usual I have left out one or two records I really loved but have forgotten about!) 1. Pearl Jam – The Fixer (Short, sharp, sweet – a cracking song) 2. Taylor Swift – Love Story (Yes it's cheesy, but I loved this record. Catchy like all great pop) 3. Nell Bryden – Second Time Around (proof that you can say it all on just over 2 mins) 4. Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Heads Will Roll (because was trying to limit to one per artist had to choose this over equally excellent Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Zero ) 5. Placebo - For What It's Worth - ( Battle for Sun also great though ) 6. Kelly Clarkson – I don't hook up (Just a great pop song) 7. The Veronicas – Untouched ...

This was the second time Jen and I had seen Miss Michaelson this year. Things this time did not get off to a good start as we made the cardinal error of leaving the pub too early to go to the Venue. Schoolboy error really. We hung our heads in shame. The problem was that the ticket said ‘Doors 7pm’. Now we took this to mean the doors of the venue would open then, and not that the remaining members of the band The Doors would be onstage riding a storm at 7pm. As I was interested in catching some of the support act – Greg Laswell, we left the pub just after 7.30 and walked to the venue. We were there by 7.40. Unfortunately there was a queue. A LARGE queue. [For those familiar with the venue and the area it was around the block and up almost as far as the Water Rats Theatre. No, really.] I think the last time I was in a queue this long was back in Glasgow when the Apollo was still open – quite a while ago. As a result it was 8:20ish before we made it into the venue, by which time Greg Las...

Podcast 1 - Part 1: Album Reviews . Listen as we tell you what’s to like and not to like with: Echo and the Bunnymen - Fountain The Faming Lips - Embryonic The Editors - In This Light And On This Evening Shaikira - She Wolf Kris Kristofferson - Closer to the Bone Share our views? Let us know at the Come Taste the Band Blog

A friend and I have started a new blog Come Taste the Band which we hope to use to support our attempts at podcasting - first not very good effort coming soon. [also follow us on Twitter ] We are currently looking for views on the best albums of the decade. If you have any views on what should be the top 10, let us know via email ps.cometastetheband (AT) googlemail.com

I know I've been lax in not completing this list so more coming in the next week

Lightspeed Champion (Dev Hynes) has a new album out in Feb 2010 -Life is Sweet! Nice To Meet You. Produced by Ben Allen, who is known for his work with Animal Collective and Gnarls Barkley, it draws from a broad range of influences, including “joltingly 70’s guitar and synth sounds, classical piano, Serge Gainsbourg, Greek choruses shouting reprisals, [and] Todd Rundgren.” Meanwhile the delectable Susanna Hoffs reveals some todd on her ipod/phone – iPod Shuffle

My girlfriend's sister, Linda, who is Librarian/Library Manager at Peckham Library in London, now has a music video claim to fame. Around 1min and 20 seconds into this Newton Faulkner video for his new single - Over and Out , Linda is seen in the library serving Newton, and showing some good back acting action.